Kemar Roofe’s Rangers ‘moment of magnitude’ argues case for greater game time

Rangers have felt plenty of such moments in a negative sense this season. Late equalisers have further compounded missed opportunities to reclaim top spot, individual errors have gradually chipped away at the commanding six-point lead previously held in December.

As a result, Kemar Roofe’s 81st-minute winner yesterday afternoon felt all the better. On the day the club celebrated 150 years and a breath-taking, stadium-wide tifo display welcomed the teams with depictions of Ibrox’s Icons, this moment of celebration was befitting of the occasion. “In the grand scheme of things, we hope it’s as big as we think it is,” Scott Arfield said post-match.

For much of the game, it felt such celebrations would have to be tempered. Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side failed to hit the target until the match was entering its last quarter, having waited for ‘late winner territory’ to chase a winner with real conviction.

READ MORE: Detailed Rangers player ratings as Kemar Roofe 'wins the box' with vital late winner

“It was not easy for us to build-up and find solutions when we were on the ball,” van Bronckhorst said of the first 45. And while Jim Goodwin’s team were organised, any gaps they did leave were left unexposed by a lackadaisical performance.

James Tavernier was granted greater attacking freedom after the interval and a break from the 4-3-3’s rigidity brought some benefit. Clear chances still eluded the hosts until their captain’s positional freedom saw him well placed to head Glen Kamara’s cross goalward, into the path of Roofe.

The Jamaican international’s first league goal since October was an archetypal finish. Gambling on Tavernier’s connection he used Declan Gallagher’s ball-watching to steal goal-side and divert into an empty net. Clive Tyldesley commented on RangersTV, “that is his range” and fittingly, that is the exact type of goal which has evaded van Bronckhorst’s side since Christmas.

When Alfredo Morelos’ goalscoring form is at its peak, the need for other goalscorers in the starting 11 is overshadowed. However, as the Rangers Review detailed this week, the problem offensively has been more conversion than creation. The team overperformed on goals scored from chances created last season, a reversion to the mean this campaign may well have something to do with Roofe’s absence.

READ MORE: Where does Kemar Roofe fit in Giovanni van Bronckhorst's 4-3-3?

When asked about this detail in midweek, van Bronckhorst reaffirmed that selection is not as binary as fielding your best goalscorers. And while correct, the side has struggled to replace the 34 goals and assists contributed by Roofe and the now-injured Ianis Hagi last season. This season the pair have only six goals and assists between them.

Their own individual form, injury and a change of system can all be attributed as causes for this downturn. Both were signed to play as one of Steven Gerrard’s two No.10s and neither can play on the wing in the now deployed traditional 4-3-3, while Joe Aribo has been preferred as the side’s attacking midfielder whenever a No.10 is required.

With just one transfer window under his belt and the fruits of those purchases still to be proven, this attacking contribution has not been reinstated in van Bronckhorst's set-up.

Roofe, as revealed by his manager yesterday, has had an injury to deal with these past three months and struggled to get off the bench when fit. And without a reliable goal threat from the right, and given Aribo’s numbers from the centre have dried up, the attacker may be called upon with greater regularity in the next six weeks.

“In the coming weeks, we have a lot of games so we have to use everyone,” van Bronckhorst concluded yesterday.

Whether introduced earlier in the game from the bench, or through varying tactical methods to accommodate his talents, greater game time for yesterday’s match-winner could prove significant in Rangers' title bid.